Local Baptist church prepares for worst after mass shooting in Texas church

Local pastors are reacting to the tragedy in Texas where nearly 26 people were killed and others injured inside a church. Reverend Dr. Dennis Richards of First Baptist Church believes churches are targets because victims are not expecting an attack while worshiping.

The Catawba Reverend of First Baptist now has a safety plan in place after the Texas shooting.

First Baptist church members in Catawba County are on high alert and have safety plans in place to protect themselves after another Baptist church in a small Texas town just outside of San Antonio experienced the worst. A shooter walked in and killed about 30 people and injured others.

“You’re concerned about whether it could happen here,” says Reverend Dr. Richards of First Baptist in Catawba.

Reverend Dr. Richards has led First Baptist for three decades and counting. He believes churches are now large targets because members are the least suspecting victims.

"They weren’t prepared for that, they weren’t even thinking about that at an 11:30 a.m. worship service."

Mass shootings are not something you typically associate with small towns.

"Hardly ever, you think of that happening more in Vegas. It happened in California and Florida."

With the Texas shooting taking place in a town that has no more than 400 people, folks in Claremont are worried of what is to come.

"If you want me to be biblical, we’re living in the last times. I think the church is going out and that’s just one indication of that," the Reverend adds.